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Comments on National Climate Change Response
White Paper
Critical Issues
• Lack of ambition considering the urgency
of the climate crisis
– Decline of GHG emissions in absolute terms by 2035
is inadequate
• Lack of long-term Post-Carbon vision
– Disconnected, unrealistic strategies and policies
The need for long-term vision
Vision
Toward social, economic
and ecological resilience
• Informed by :
– Climate change
– Resource depletion
– Declining oil production
– Rising energy costs
– Global economic instability
Policies and strategies of various bodies become more
appropriate and realistic, and are more synergistic with
one another
Work toward common vision that builds and maintains
local resilience
Water
Relocalize supply
• Rainwater harvesting
• Greywater processing and utilization
– Reduces stress on municipal supply from dams
– Eliminate cost of transporting large quantities of water over great
distances
– Reduced maintenance cost
– Provision in areas that are otherwise difficult to service
The options of groundwater and desalinisation (as mentioned in 5.2.5) should
be explored only as an absolute last resort due to environmental impact and
energy intensity respectively.
Need to reconsider chosen path for IRP 2010. Climate change will exacerbate
water scarcity in an already stressed country.
Low-carbon scenario would render the country far more climate resilient
Agriculture and Food Security
• Current methods are very destructive, and water-, energy-, and
emissions- intensive
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Chemical inputs
Monoculture; lack of diversity
Centralized; long transport distances
Not very labor intensive
• Need for regenerative/rehabilitating practices eg Permaculture
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Greater, diversified yields
Zero chemical input
Reduced water demand
Soil and ecosystem rehabilitation
improve biodiversity and ecosystem services (incl carbon sequestration)
More labor-intensive
• Localize supply, distribution and consumption
– Fresh, organic, and nutrient-rich = healthier population
Education
• Include strategy for establishing educational institutions
as eco-centers
– Implementing various environmentally conscious practices such
as: recycling, rainwater harvesting, greywater recycling,
renewable energy generation, permaculture food gardening etc
– Provide demonstration and training opportunities for surrounding
communities
– Greater potential to inspire necessary behavioral change
• Review educational curricula
– Which at present does not sufficiently equip learners with
necessary knowledge and skills to deal with current global
challenges
Energy
• Issue of Energy absent from Adaptation and Mitigation chapters of
WP
• Energy generation in SA a significant contributor to overall GHG
emissions
• Need to reconsider chosen IRP path as 16% renewable energy
target is inadequate
• Localize supply in order to utilize resources more efficiently, reduce
environmental impact and improve service to isolated areas.
• Cost of energy from fossil fuels is rising, leaving the country and its
economy vulnerable. Energy descent is both necessary and
inevitable.
Why are we not aiming higher when by 2050 80% of worlds energy
could be generated from renewable sources?
Economy
• Post-carbon vision calls for a relocalization
of resources and services, strengthening
the resilience of the local economy
– Reskilling the population
– Vast employment opportunities in building
local resilience
– Provides greater job security
Conclusion
• Let us be more ambitious about reducing GHG
emissions and our negative environmental impact
• Appropriate long-term vision is a necessity – informed by
challenges of climate change, resource depletion,
declining oil production, rising energy costs, and global
economic instability
• Post-Carbon vision of socially, economically, and
ecologically resilient South Africa